The present invention is directed generally to a heat exchanger for a supercharger, and more particularly to a heat exchanger with a water bonnet for coolant circulation.
A limiting factor in the performance of an internal combustion engine is the amount of combustion air that can be delivered to the intake manifold for combustion in the engine cylinders. Atmospheric pressure is often inadequate to supply the required amount of air for proper operation of an engine. Therefore, it is common practice to use an auxiliary system to supply additional air to the intake manifold. It is known to supply additional air to the intake manifold through the use of a supercharger, such as, for example, a turbocharger.
A turbocharger supplies combustion air at a higher pressure and higher density than existing atmospheric pressure and ambient density. The use of a turbocharger can compensate for lack of power due, for example, to altitude, or to otherwise increase power that can be obtained from an engine of a given displacement, thereby reducing the cost, weight and size of the engine required for a given power output.
A problem associated with the use of turbochargers is the build up of heat in the compressed air. Heat reduction has been accomplished through the use of external xe2x80x9caftercoolersxe2x80x9d or external xe2x80x9cintercoolerxe2x80x9d generically referred to as intercoolers. The build up of heat in a first compressor may decrease the efficiency of a second compressor or efficiency of air induction into the engine intake ports. External intercoolers can be bulky, utilizing additional space in what can be cramped environments around the internal combustion engine.
An intercooler for an internal combustion engine is described in U.S. Pat. No. 6,311,676 issued to Oberg et al. on Nov. 6, 2001. This patent describes an intercooler mounted between a turbocharger and an internal combustion engine. One drawback to this arrangement is that the intercooler is a separate component that requires more space.
The present invention is directed at one or more of the problems described above associated with existing turbochargers and coolers.
In one aspect of the present invention, a heat exchanger for mounting in a supercharger is provided. The heat exchanger includes a body having a first end and a second end. A water bonnet is connected to the first end of the body and includes an inlet, an outlet, an inner annulus, and an outer annulus. The inlet may be associated with one of the inner and outer annuluses and the outlet is associated with the other of the inner and outer annuluses.
In another aspect of the present invention, a supercharger is provided. The supercharger includes a housing assembly, a rotatable shaft supported in the housing assembly, a first compressor supported on the rotatable shaft, and a heat exchanger. The heat exchanger includes a body having a first end and a second end. The body defines an opening extending from the first end to the second end and the rotatable shaft extends through the opening. A water bonnet is connected to the first end of the body and includes an inlet, an outlet, an inner annulus, and an outer annulus. The inlet may be associated with one of the inner and outer annuluses, and the outlet is associated with the other of the inner and outer annuluses.
In another aspect of the present invention, a method of mounting a heat exchanger in a supercharger is provided. The supercharger includes a housing assembly defining a volute cavity and having at least two through holes. The method includes inserting a first connector through the volute cavity into one of the two through holes, inserting a second connector through the volute cavity into the other of the two through holes, and inserting the heat exchanger into the volute cavity. The heat exchanger includes a body having a first end and a water bonnet is connected to the first end of the body. The water bonnet includes an inner annulus and an outer annulus for coolant flow, an inlet associated with one of the inner and outer annuluses, and an outlet associated with the other of the inner and outer annuluses. The method further includes connecting the first connector to the inlet and connecting the second connector to the outlet.